


Overcast

by SaraJaye



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Bullying, F/F, Hiding Feelings, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Pre-Femslash, Worried Maya, bay window, reassurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 10:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11942415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: She didn't like the clouds she was seeing hanging over Rileytown lately.





	Overcast

**Author's Note:**

> _Girl Meets World, Riley Matthews/Maya Hart, "Will you just tell me the truth for once?"_

Best friends were supposed to tell each other everything, right? Especially someone like Riley, who was so open and cheerful it could be _disgusting_ but it wasn't disgusting to Maya because she loved everything _about_ Riley Matthews. Especially that ever-present smile of hers.

But lately, the smile seemed more of a defense than anything else.

Riley was insecure. Everyone knew that, she wore it without shame and could easily be cheered up with a little reassurance and an opportunity to help someone with their own problems. Then the text-bullying incident happened and something _changed._ Even after Riley reclaimed Rileytown, Maya could just _sense_ something was off.

Riley smiled through everything, kept believing. Even when she got her first F. Even when The Triangle got to be too much, even after she and Lucas decided to just stay friends. Even when she lost her bear, or thought she was going to move to London.

_It's real, but somehow it isn't. Every time I ask if she's okay, she says yes but she's **not** and I wish she'd just **talk to me.**_

The bay window was where all the secrets came out. Riley joined the poetry club, and the meetings ran a little late sometimes, so Maya let herself in and waited patiently in their spot, Riley barely batting an eyelash when she came in.

"Hey."

"Sit." Maya patted the space next to her. Riley obeyed, giving her a funny look.

"Is something wrong?"

"You tell me." Maya squeezed her hand, and Riley tensed.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

" _Riley._ " Maya squeezed harder. "For the past year it's been awfully overcast in Rileytown, and there were never any clouds before," she said. "I thought you were okay after you confronted her, but...you're not, are you?" Riley froze, her smile fading completely.

"...it's _stupid._ It was just some girl sending me a bunch of texts I could've just ignored, right?" She shook her head. "It's fine, Maya, I just-"

"Will you just tell me the truth for once?" Maya cut her off. "Stop hiding behind that smile, okay? It's okay to-"

"I can't! If I stop smiling that means she was right, I'm only doing what _she_ wanted and I...I can't let her take that from me, remember?" Her voice was shaking, and so were her shoulders. "It was humiliating, needing everyone to save me. Why do you think I didn't tell Mom?"

"And yet she found out anyway," Maya said. "Lawyers have magic powers, honey, especially lawyers who are also moms."

"She threatened to sue the girl's parents. Dad had to talk her out of it." Riley swallowed. "I'm the one who's supposed to take care of everyone, Maya. Remember the Spirit Award in seventh grade?" She covered her face with her free hand. "I almost let someone take that from me. After that...I vowed never to cry or need rescuing like that again."

She was so close to tears but even now she wouldn't let them fall, and Maya's heart ached. She let go of Riley's hand and reclined against the closed side window, pulling Riley with her. Riley slowly began to relax, her head resting on Maya's shoulder, Maya stroking her fingers through Riley's hair.

"It's okay not to be fine, Riley," she whispered. "You can't be Little Miss Spirit all the time. Sometimes the rescuer needs rescuing."

"I _know,_ " Riley mumbled, sniffling even though she still wasn't crying. "It's not that I don't think anyone will, either. I just don't like feeling like I need it."

"Well, deal with it, cause the Riley Matthews Protection Squad isn't going anywhere," Maya said with a little smile. Riley groaned.

"You're gonna tell everyone else, aren't you?"

"No. _You're_ going to confide in them and let them comfort you for once," Maya insisted. "And no shoving ice cream in anyone's face, either."

"You're never gonna let that go, are you." But to Maya's relief, that did get a little smile out of Riley. A real one. "I guess you're right, though."

"You _know_ I'm right. I don't wanna see anymore gray clouds over Rileytown, okay? And if they ever come, we'll chase them away." It almost _scared_ Maya how Riley-ish she sounded right now, but it was working. Riley curled closer to her, entwining their legs, her breath warm against Maya's neck.

"I think they're starting to fade."

Maya kissed Riley's forehead.

"Good."

**Author's Note:**

> While I like the idea that Riley can bounce back easily I still noticed that after Girl Meets Rileytown she was more prone to sad and vulnerable moments. Obviously for other reasons but part of me wondered "so what if the bullying incident was still bugging her more than she let on?" and this is so not my thing normally but it's an excuse to write Rilaya hurt/comfort because I am ridiculously self-indulgent.


End file.
